Babies/Tots
Namaste Is a Greeting
By Suma Subramaniam
Illustrated by Sandhya Prabhat
Candlewick, 2022, $17.99
What better way to welcome the new year than with a family read-aloud of this delightful picture book. It’s a way, too, to celebrate the many meanings of the single word “Namaste.” According to the lyrical, minimal text by Suma Subramaniam, Namaste is a greeting, a bow, a yoga pose. “Namaste calms your heart when things aren’t going right” and it is “the divine in me honoring the divine in you.” Sandhya Prabhat’s bright, lively illustrations show an open-hearted youngster connecting with herself and others as she moves through the wider world.
Ages 3 – 8
Cozy in Love
By Jan Brett
G.P. Putnam’s Sons, 2022, $19.99
Cozy in LoveWhat’s great after a romp in the snow? A cup of cocoa, a snuggle and a good book. This tale follows an endearing musk ox named Cozy as he teams up with his Alaskan friend Puffin to rescue a young beluga whale trapped in an icy inlet – and gain the loving respect of the female musk ox he adores. Jan Brett’s expressive art will enthrall and playfully educate youngsters with wintery scenes of Alaska’s flora and fauna.
Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening
By Robert Frost
Illustrated by P.J. Lynch
Candlewick, 2022, $18.99
Acclaimed artist P.J. Lynch invites youngsters into Robert Frost’s classic poem through the experience of a girl riding her horse on the outskirts of a small late 19th century American village. Lynch’s stunning watercolor-and-gouache paintings capture the bond between the girl and her mount and the majesty and stillness of those “lovely, dark and deep” woods. The poem is beautifully paced over dynamic double-page spreads that include close-ups of the wondering faces of the girl and horse and a long shot of them at the end continuing through the steadily falling snow.
Ages 9 and up
Music Mavens
By Ashley Walker and Maureen Charles
Chicago Review Press, 2022, $16.99
Musicians and educators Ashley Walker and Maureen Charles share the life stories and accomplishments of 15 contemporary women of note in the music industry. The co-authors range over genres – pop, rock, rap, jazz, classical, electronic, film, Latin, Native American, Broadway – and spotlight myriad talents and skills: “composing and songwriting, performing and conducting … audio engineering, producing and … rock photography.” Fascinating profiles of Nami Melumad, who has won awards for her scores for films and videogames; Regina Carter,
MacArthur genius and jazz innovator; and others reveal women’s increasing presence in the still male-dominated musical sphere.
